campigloo
Baton Rouge, La
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I have a mystery here I hope ?? someone can help me with. I replaced two of four brakes on my trailer.. Everything worked fine when I started. Now I have a brake disconnected error code from my controller.
I connected the new brakes to the line using butt connectors and shrink wrap. I checked the pig tail, the wire from the bus bar to the magnet and ground. I have continuity to all of them. I ran a new line separate from the original and had brakes for about five seconds and got the error code again.
I’m at a total loss here. Any ideas? Anything would be appreciated!!!!
Thanks!
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bgum
South Louisiana
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I would suggest you go back and solder those wires and shrink wrap.
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jkwilson
Indiana
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Raise one side off the ground and spin a wheel. Have somebody pull the breakaway cable. Repeat with the other axle and other side. If the brakes work that way, you’ve eliminated a good chunk of wiring as the problem. If they don’t, you can be pretty sure the problem is between the junction box and axles.
John & Kathy
2014 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS
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SDcampowneroperator
South Dakota
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Joined: 01/25/2011
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Apply the brakes with the trucks applicator. Walk around closely with a simple compass if the compass points toward the wheel, that brake magnet is working.
Do it again by pulling the emergency brake cable which will activate all the brakes from your trailer battery.
Trailer drum brakes are notorious for needing adjustment. Our supposedly forward self adjusting Dexter 8k brakes do not do well. Every couple K miles, I got to jack each wheel and manually work the star wheel so the brakes work at maximum.
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Blacklane
New Carlisle, Ohio USA
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bgum wrote:I would suggest you go back and solder those wires and shrink wrap.
Actually, crimp connectors with heat-shrink sleeves is the preferred method of connecting wires where vibration is present.
Since solder creates a stiff section in the stranded wire, the wire tends to break right next to the solder joint.
Solder connections on wires in vehicles are just not reliable. You might notice that there are no solder connection on cars: they're all crimp connections. In fact on aircraft, solder connections are completely forbidden.
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jkwilson
Indiana
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Blacklane wrote:bgum wrote:I would suggest you go back and solder those wires and shrink wrap.
Actually, crimp connectors with heat-shrink sleeves is the preferred method of connecting wires where vibration is present.
Since solder creates a stiff section in the stranded wire, the wire tends to break right next to the solder joint.
Solder connections on wires in vehicles are just not reliable. You might notice that there are no solder connection on cars: they're all crimp connections. In fact on aircraft, solder connections are completely forbidden.
Solder connections aren’t even uncommon on military aircraft. The key is a mechanical connection to keep the soldered wire from moving. With the amount of loose wire on a brake connection, you’ll never have a hint of a problem soldering.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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Blacklane wrote:bgum wrote:I would suggest you go back and solder those wires and shrink wrap.
Actually, crimp connectors with heat-shrink sleeves is the preferred method of connecting wires where vibration is present.
Since solder creates a stiff section in the stranded wire, the wire tends to break right next to the solder joint.
Solder connections on wires in vehicles are just not reliable. You might notice that there are no solder connection on cars: they're all crimp connections. In fact on aircraft, solder connections are completely forbidden.
Blacklane types the truth... Aircraft standards is to crimp.
However not manu people have really really good Crimpers (I do) most just use cheap pliars.. Soem of them are ok but not many can match the high pressure ratching type for smaller wires I use for Anderson Power Pole connections.. and even they can fail if the wire is too small.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
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campigloo
Baton Rouge, La
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Thanks y’all!! Those are some great ideas. I’m going to retry the troubleshoot part!
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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wa8yxm wrote:Blacklane wrote:bgum wrote:I would suggest you go back and solder those wires and shrink wrap.
Actually, crimp connectors with heat-shrink sleeves is the preferred method of connecting wires where vibration is present.
Since solder creates a stiff section in the stranded wire, the wire tends to break right next to the solder joint.
Solder connections on wires in vehicles are just not reliable. You might notice that there are no solder connection on cars: they're all crimp connections. In fact on aircraft, solder connections are completely forbidden.
Blacklane types the truth... Aircraft standards is to crimp.
You are leaving out one very critical piece information.
Aircraft standards call out for a much higher spec on the crimp terminals.. Those terminals cost much more, have a higher pull rating than consumer level and require proper crimp tools to pull it off.
Absolutely no one outside the aircraft industry is going to be willing to pop for any of that..
Instead, the average "joe" goes to their local big box retailer, buys the average cheaply made light duty crimp terminal and then proceeds to mash it with a $5 pair of pliers or a $5 "terminal crimper"..
A funny thing, back in the 1980s my Dad bought a brand new truck, had it for less than 2 weeks and it went dead, would turn over but no start.. Had it towed to dealer where they spent three weeks with their "best guys on it" and couldn't find the problem.. My Dad showed up with a $10 analog VOM and started checking every wire harness connection.. Found a break in the harness from the distributor to the ignition model.. Postmortem revealed the crimp connection on one end of the harness was faulty.. Shop replaced the harness and was back on the road. Dad found that break in less than 2 hrs..
On edit..
Aviation grade terminals and crimpers..
$115
$127
* This post was
edited 09/12/22 02:31pm by Gdetrailer *
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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campigloo wrote:Thanks y’all!! Those are some great ideas. I’m going to retry the troubleshoot part!
Just don't get too balled up in the crimp debate here, unless it sparked a thought that you don't reasonably know how to crimp wires. (Not saying you don't know how, but the peanut gallery will probably argue the virtues of electrical connections now for days in your thread...lol)
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